Medications for Erectile Dysfunction — A New Treatment for Alzheimer Disease?

Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors may affect cognition, potentially through the cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway. In this population-based study, researchers analyzed whether phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors were associated with the risk for Alzheimer disease (AD) in 269,725 men with newly diagnosed erectile dysfunction (ED). Individuals were identified by electronic health records in the U.K. and did not have a history of dementia, cognitive impairment, confusion, or dementia medication use at the time of ED diagnosis. Use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, and avanafil) was identified in prescription records. Incident AD was based on diagnostic read codes.

The mean age at baseline was 58.5…